JR's Thoughts on the Passing of Reid Flair

The untimely death of a 25 year old young man has been especially difficult for me to process. Here's why....

After Jim Crockett Promotions bought out Bill Watts' UWF, I began doing a great deal of work in the Carolinas while commuting from my home, at that time, in Dallas, Texas.

Everyone knows that the Carolinas, especially Charlotte, is, was and always will be 'Flair Country.' Ric and I got to know each other when he would be booked in Watts' territory back in the day and I, usually, would be assigned by the Big Cowboy to be Ric's side kick while he was with us.

So, when I started staying in Charlotte a few days a month, Ric and I spent a great deal of time together. I was in "his town" and I became a quasi member of the Flair family. That meant that I got to know all the Flair kids including Reid who was just starting to walk.

Ric and I have a special relationship. Ric was with me when I met the most important person in my life, my wife Jan, who was a USAirways flight attendant when Naitch and I were sitting side by side in first class on a flight. He's the first one to point out that I was smitten....and he was right. Jan and I have been together ever since.